Sapporo Snow Festival 2027: Dates, the Three Sites, Access and Where to Stay

The dates for the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027 have been officially announced: 8 days, from Thursday, February 4 to Thursday, February 11, 2027 (a national holiday). This guide covers what to see at each of the festival's (さっぽろ雪まつり) three sites, opening and lighting hours, how to get there from New Chitose Airport, where to stay, and the question many travelers ask: is the Sapporo Snow Festival worth it? You can start booking flights and hotels right now.

When Is the Sapporo Snow Festival 2027?

The short answer: February 4-11, 2027, with all three sites running at the same time and all free.

According to the outline published on the festival's official website on July 13, 2026, the 2027 Sapporo Snow Festival is the 77th edition and runs for 8 days from Thursday, February 4 to Thursday, February 11, 2027 (a holiday), with an Odori site, a Tsudome site and a Susukino site^[1]. In addition, a special collaborative event, "Sapporo Snow Sports Park 2027," is held February 12-14 at the Daiwa House Premist Dome (Sapporo Dome)^[1].

The festival is always held in early February, usually for about a week, and includes February 11, National Foundation Day. The organizers note that details for 2027 will be updated over time, so keep checking the official website for daily events and snow sculpture themes.

Lighting and opening hours come from the official FAQ^[2] and reflect past practice; if anything changes for 2027, follow the official announcements.

How to Explore the Sapporo Snow Festival Sites: Odori, Susukino and Tsudome

Odori Site: The Main Stage for Big Snow Sculptures and Night Lighting

The Odori site runs from Odori Park 1-chome West to 11-chome West, about 1.1 km in total^[2]. According to the 2027 outline, the blocks are planned as follows^[1]:

• 1-chome: Winter play attractions and more
• 2-chome: Displays related to the Sapporo International Art Festival 2027
• 3, 6 and 9-chome: Small and medium snow sculptures
• 4, 5, 7, 8 and 10-chome: 5 large snow sculptures
• 11-chome: International snow sculpture contest and more

Odori Park is a public park, so you can visit at any time during the festival, and the night lighting runs until 22:00^[2]. We suggest walking it once by day to see the sculptures' details, then coming back at night for the lighting and projection mapping. From the observation deck of the Sapporo TV Tower beside 1-chome, looking west, you can photograph the whole site in one view (this article's main photo was taken from the TV Tower).

Susukino Site: A Street of Ice Sculptures

The Susukino site is on Ekimae-dori between Minami 4-jo and Minami 6-jo, and centers on ice sculptures^[1]. They can be seen at any time during the festival, and they are lit until 23:00 (until 22:00 on the final day)^[2]. The organizers say work on the ice sculptures begins about 3 days before opening, so if you arrive early you may see the sculptors at work^[2]. Susukino is Sapporo's dining and nightlife district, so after the ice sculptures it is easy to go straight to ramen or Genghis Khan lamb barbecue; see our Sapporo food guide for ideas.

Tsudome Site: Snow Play for Families

The Tsudome site is at the Sapporo sports exchange facility "Tsudome" (つどーむ), with snow slides and other snow-play attractions. It is open 10:00-16:00, and some attractions may stop accepting visitors early when it is busy^[2]. It is farther from the city center and suits families with children or anyone who wants to play in the snow; if you only want to see snow sculptures, Odori and Susukino are enough.

Getting to the Sapporo Snow Festival: From the Airport and Downtown

The short answer: Odori and Susukino are right by subway station exits; Tsudome needs a subway ride plus a shuttle bus or a walk.

Access as described in the official FAQ^[2]:

1. Odori site: Get off at Odori Station on the subway Namboku, Tozai or Toho lines and you are there.
2. Susukino site: Get off at Susukino Station on the subway Namboku Line and you are there.
3. Tsudome site: Get off at Sakaemachi Station on the subway Toho Line, then take a shuttle bus or walk about 15 minutes. Shuttle fares and schedules follow the official announcements.
4. To and from New Chitose Airport: About 1 hour by JR from Sapporo Station; about 1 hour 10 minutes by bus from near Odori Park.

During the festival, JR Rapid Airport trains and airport buses get very crowded and can be delayed by heavy snow, so allow at least 1 extra hour on the return trip. Within Sapporo the subway is the main way to get around, and from Sapporo Station to Odori and Susukino you can use the underground walkways instead of walking on snow. For more ways to get around Hokkaido, see our guide to getting around Hokkaido without a car.

Where to Stay for the Sapporo Snow Festival: Areas and When to Book

The short answer: stay around Odori, Susukino or Sapporo Station, and book at least 2-3 months before you leave.

The festival draws large numbers of domestic and international visitors: official data shows about 2.539 million visits in 2026 and about 2.327 million in 2025^[3], and the all-time record is 2.737 million at the 70th festival in 2019^[2]. Downtown hotel rates rise noticeably during the festival, and weekends and the days around February 11 are especially hard to book.

If you cannot get a downtown room, consider stations along the subway lines, or spend one or two nights at Jozankei Onsen or in Otaru to avoid peak downtown rates. The official FAQ also mentions that the city sets up temporary luggage storage during the festival; see the official announcement for locations and fees^[2]. If you want to travel hands-free between cities, see our guide to luggage delivery in Japan.

Is the Sapporo Snow Festival Worth It? Who It Suits and Who It Doesn't

The short answer: it is well worth it if you want to experience a Hokkaido winter, but be prepared for crowds, low temperatures and higher hotel prices.

Reasons to go:

• Free: All three sites are free to enter^[2].
• Big scale: The large snow sculptures can be several stories tall, and the night projection mapping is atmospheric.
• Easy to plan around: Odori and Susukino are both downtown, so with Sapporo food, Otaru and hot springs you can experience the best of a Hokkaido winter in one trip.

Reasons it may not suit you:

• You really dislike the cold: Sapporo's February average temperature is about -2.7°C, with an average low of -6.2°C^[4].
• You have a limited budget: Hotels and flights are at peak-season prices during the festival.
• You dislike crowds: On weekend nights the Odori site is so busy that you have to queue to move.

For travelers from Taiwan, there are direct flights from Taoyuan to New Chitose Airport taking about 4 hours, and in some seasons flights from Kaohsiung and Taichung too; check each airline for actual routes. We suggest at least 4 days and 3 nights: 1 day for the festival, 1 day in Otaru (see our Otaru day trip guide), 1 day at Jozankei Onsen or skiing, and a spare day as a buffer for possible heavy-snow delays.

Before You Go: Cold and Slip Protection During the Festival

• Slipping is the biggest risk: The number of people taken to hospital after falling on Sapporo's winter roads hit a record in fiscal 2024, with 1,813 from December to March, and the hospital transport locations were most concentrated in the Susukino and Odori areas^[5], which is exactly where the festival sites are.
• Wear non-slip, waterproof shoes: Snow boots or boots with treaded soles are best, and Sapporo convenience stores also sell simple ice grips that fit over your soles.
• Dress in layers like an onion: Indoors and in the subway the heating is strong, but outside it is below freezing, so layers you can take off are the most practical; see our guide to what to wear in Hokkaido in winter.
• Phone batteries hate the cold: Phones drain quickly in low temperatures, so carry a power bank in an inside pocket.
• You can also catch lights earlier in the winter: If you cannot make February, the Sapporo White Illumination from late November to Christmas also has a wintry mood; see Japan Christmas illuminations 2026.